Mail-receptacle.



NQ. 894,376. PATENTED JULY 28, 1908.

M. S. FIELD.

MAIL REGEPTACLE. APPLIoATIoN FILED 00T.2,19o5.

WE'CQSSQS:

4,7 5 v @Mg/M74 r MM MAROELLUS S. FIELD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAIL-RECEPTAC LE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 2, 1905.

Patented July 28, 1908.

Serial No. 280,913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARcELLUs S. FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suifolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Mail-Receptacles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification,

like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to mail receptacles and especially to mail receptacles of that class shown in my Patent No. 7 82,229, dated February 14, 1905. The mail receptacle shown in said patent comprises a frame from which depends the body or receptacle proper, said frame having means whereby it may be detachably secured to a door beneath the letter-drop opening therein. The frame of the receptacle shown in said patent is steel, and I have found that where these receptacles are hung on a door which is liable to open against a.wall, the opening of the door is liable t'o bring the frame of the receptacle against the wall with su'flicient force to injure said wall. To overcome this difficulty, I have in my present invention provided a receptacle having a resilient frame so that even if the opening movement of the door carries the lframe a ainst the wall, the frame willi1 yield sufficient y so as not to injure the wa The features wherein my invention reside will be more fully hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of part of a door showing my improved mail receptacle applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the manner in which the receptacle gives when the door opens against a wall 5 and Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the way in which the suspending hooks are slidably mounted on the frame.

In the drawings, 3 designates a door having the usual letter-drop opening 4 therein, and 5 designates a wall adjacent the door and against which the door is swung when it is opened.

My improved receptacle comprises a frame 6 from which is suspended a receptacle proper 7 preferably made of net or other o en work so that the contents of the receptac e may be readily seen. The frame 6 is constructed in such a way that it is resilient and elastic transversely, or in a direction at right angles to the door when the receptacle is applied thereto. rI`he frame may be made of any suitable material which will permit it to have this resiliency, and I have found a flat band of spring metal to answer all the requirements. A flat metallic' band properly tempered may be made very resilient transversely, but has the required stiffness vertically. I have herein shown the receptacle as secured to the door by means of suitable suspending hooks 8. Said hooks may be either hooked into eyes screwed into the door or in case it is desired to attach the receptacle to a door without defacing the latter, said hooks may be hooked into apertures formed in one of the walls of the letter-drop opening, as shown in the drawings. The hooks are preferably slidably mounted upon the frame or band 6 so that they may be adjusted toward and from each other to lit letterdrops of different sizes.

The hooks herein shown are made from a piece of wire doubled on itself to form the loop 10 through which the band 6 passes, and

opening.

The loops l0 of the hooks form slots through which the band slides and these slots are of a size to iit the band so that they serve to hold the band in a horizontal position when the hooks are applied to the door. This is because the band has flat sides which engage the flat sides of the slots.

A frame made of ilat spring will naturally assume a circular shape, but owing to the resiliency of the band, the portion of the band between the hooks will be flattened somewhat, as clearly shown in the drawings. natural tendency of this flattened portion toA resume a circular shape will serve to hold the hooks firmly in their apertures, and thus prevent the accidental dislodgment of the receptacle.

Owing to the resiliency of the band 6 it will be obvious that in case the door is swung against a wall, as 5, the band will give and assume a narrow oblong shape, as shown in Fig. 2, and` will not, therefore, inar or injure the plaster or other iinish of the wall.

The essential feature of my invention` is the receptacle having the frame thereof resilient so that it will collapse against the door if the latter is swung against a wall.

The

Having fully described my invention, What l claim as neW and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A mail receptacle comprising a frame resilient in a direction diametrically thereof, a lieXible mail-receiving member supported thereby, and suspending hooks adjustably secured to the frame for supporting the latter.

2. A mail receptacle comprising an annular band which is resilient in a direction radially thereof, a flexible mail-receiving member suspended from the band, and suspending hooks having slotted Shanks slidably mounted on the band.

3, A door having a letter-drop opening therethrough, and a mail receptacle detachably secured to the door, said receptacle comprising a frame resilient in a direction at right angles to the door, and a receiving member suspended from the frame.

4. A mail receptacle comprising a frame made from a lat metallic band tempered to be resilient, a receptacle member suspended from the band, and sustaining hooks provided With slots in their shanlrs through Which the band passes, said slots fitting the band.

5. The combination With a door having a letter-drop opening therethrough, of a mail receptacle comprising a frame made from a Hat metallic band tempered to beresilient, a receptacle sustained from the band, and hooks slidably mounted on the band for attaching the receptacle to the door.

In testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specication, in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

MARCELLUS S. FIELD.

Witnesses:

LoUIs C. SMITH, I EMILY C. HoDGEs. 

